Should I be worried about my kittens suckling on my neck?

Question

I have two 14 day old kittens. My cat died after she gave birth, so I have been feeding, cleaning and doing everything else for them since they were born. Now they are suckling and clawing on my neck, fingers, shirt, etc. Is there an alternative I can give them to serve as a pacifier instead of my neck, etc.?

Answer 1

[Note: I'm not a behavioral expert, so take this with a grain of salt.]

Cats learn not to bite from playing and social interactions. So as they grow up, they will naturally learn that biting doesn't feel good from playing with their siblings.

Clearly though, that's not good enough for your situation, so try this:

1. Whenever they are looking for a nipple, wrap your pinkie in a cloth towel and dip the tip in a bit of milk. Let the kittens chew and suckle on this.
2. Whenever they bite your neck: take them off, put them on the floor, and gently tell them "no". (Cats are pretty good at picking up on human vocal intonation, so you don't need to be too harsh.)
   • You want to make sure they know the right thing to suck on, otherwise you may find them chewing and sucking on everything, like Elmy described in her answer.

Doing both of these will:

• Help soothe them
• Protect your finger
• And teach them what they can and can't chew on as they grow up

Also, (I haven't tried this, but) apparently using a toothbrush to stroke a cat's head simulates the feel of their mother's tongue and helps soothe them. Try doing so after every time you feed them with the towel. This way you can set a social hierarchy by making them see you as their mother, provide some positive reinforcement for correct behavior, and also teach them to lick themselves regularly (which is good for cleanliness).

Good luck!

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Footnotes:

{1} To address the feedback I got in multiple comments: When I say "reprimand" I don't mean you should yell at your babies. Of course not! I'm operating under the assumption of sanity in the reader. Simply saying the word "No" in a monotone but not too loud voice is more than enough. Scolding kittens, or babies of any kind, is not acceptable! And I'll be happy to punch anyone who does. :)

{2} I know that the word "reprimand" caries a lot of negative connotations, but I checked its synonyms and they are all a lot worse. If anyone has any better suggestions, I'll be happy to make the change! EDIT: Made the change.

Answer 2

In addition to Vladimirs answer I'd like to add that sucking on their mother and siblings is natural behavior for kittens and works literally like a pacifier. It helps them form social connections with their siblings and mother, calms them and makes them feel protected.

I totally understand not wanting to be pawed at with needle-sharp claws, but depriving the kittens of their sucking behavior can lead to abnormal social behavior. We've once had a cat that was taken from his mother too early and he developed some obsessive sucking behavior every time someone lied down on the couch with a blanked. He absolutely soaked the blanked with saliva and didn't stop this infantile behavior even when he became an adult.

So I suggest you let them suck at you, but protect your skin from their claws and teeth with some clean cotton fabric. Maybe you have something like old cloth napkins, baby swaddling cloths or dish towels lying around that are easy to wash and can take some abuse. Have a few of them arms length wherever you usually interact with the kittens, fold them up to protect yourself against claws and teeth and wash them regularly.